Iran threatens to open new Bab el-Mandab front if attacked on its territory

Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency cited an unnamed Iranian military source on March 25 warning that Iran could 'open a new front in the Bab el-Mandab Strait' if it faces military action on its territory. The Bab el-Mandab — connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden — carries ~7-8% of global trade and 3.8 million barrels of oil per day. Iranian activation of a Bab el-Mandab front would operate primarily through the Houthis in Yemen, Iran's only remaining effective proxy in the region (Lebanese Hezbollah and Iraqi PMF are already engaged). The Houthis previously blocked Red Sea shipping during the 2023-24 Gaza conflict and retain shore-based anti-ship missiles and drone forces. A combined IRGC-Houthi Bab el-Mandab closure would create a second shipping chokepoint beyond Hormuz, compounding the economic impact already at Brent $98/bbl. The threat is framed as a conditional deterrent ('if attacked on its territory') not an immediate operational announcement. It follows Iran's earlier Hormuz sovereignty demand and is part of a pattern of Iran escalating its threatened response set as military losses mount.